WorldWatch has confirmed that the final consumer price for petrol (gas) hasonce more increased in one of Europes oldest economies but also one of themost monopolized economies in Europe...Portugal.The final consumer price continues inflated across the entire range ...

The price fixing is identical in 97% of the petrol stations nationwide,these prices are combined, planned and executed, in the highways pricesare even more expensive reaching three cents more per litre above themaximum nationwide.

No wonder the energy companies always manage to have record profit earningsacross the board, we have the example now with the BP's oil spill in the US.

WorldWatch warns...China's economic growth continued to ease in July,signaling that the world's third-largest economy may need to loosen it's policies to avoid a crash landing.

Chinese industrial production in July rose 13.4% from a year ago, but the growth rate declined for fifth straight month, according to data released wednesday by China's government.The slowdown in activity is linked to the government's campaigning to end property market speculation, the Chinese government is trying to introduce price caps without hindering the construction industry, a key driver of growth and employment. But this will lower industrial output rates .

The latest data suggests that manufacturing firms that supply materials like copper and steel that goes into building construction informed that work will tail off sharply toward the end of the year.Retail sales in China also weakened in July, the government said. Sales rose 17.9% from a year ago, but that's down from 18.2% annual growth reached during the first half of the year.

WorldWatch announces that the wheat futures soaring to their highest level in two years, you could soon find yourself paying more for a loaf of bread at your local grocery store. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization said Wednesday that it has cut its global wheat production forecast for 2010 nearly 4% to 651 million metric tons, down from its June estimate of 676 metric tons.

The drought in Russia is definitely the key factor to the rise in prices, but we've also seen problems in Canada, where crops are going to be smaller this year, and Australia may have a smaller crop, so there are other parts of the world that are seeing problems.

One of Europes oldest economies, Portugal has announced that next weekpetrol (gas) and bread consumer prices are once more going up, now that crude is once more below the $80 a barrel,with unemployment over the 11% mark and a economy in recession Portugal will continue with serious financial issues mainly due to the monopoly in price fixing in the energy sector by the petrol companies that continue to inflate final consumer prices.

Speculation forced Stocks to rallie Monday, extending last month's gains, as investors welcomed upbeat economic reports and strong earnings from European banks.The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) rose 208 points, 2%, according to early tallies. The S&P 500 (SPX) index jumped 24 points, or 2.2%, and the Nasdaq (COMP) composite gained 41 points, or 1.8%.The rally came after stocks rose 7% in July, marking the best monthly gain in a year, on solid second-quarter results from a range of major U.S. companies. The bullish tone carried over Monday as investors cheered quarterly results from European banks HSBC and BNP Paribas.Energy giants Chevron (CVX, Fortune 500) and ExxonMobil (XOM, Fortune 500) both jumped as oil prices surged past $80 a barrel on renewed optimism about global economic growth. But the rally was broad-based too.All 30 Dow stocks were positive, with the biggest gains in the materials andtechnology sectors.While questions remain about growth in the second half of the year, most European economies show worries that the economy could relapse into recession as crude prices are being forced beyond the $80 a barrel.There are no convincing arguments that the economy is not going to double dip.Stocks closed mixed Friday as economic concerns tempered upbeat earnings sentiment. Despite the rally in July, the market is up modestly for the year.Stocks had slumped in April and May amid concerns about the European debt crisis and mixed economic indicators in the United States.Looking ahead, investors said the focus may not shift later this week from earnings to the economy, particularly the outlook for the U.S. job market.One of Europes oldest economies, Portugal will continue with serious financial issues mainly due to the monopoly in price fixing in the energy sector by the petrol companies that continue to inflate final consumer prices, BP, Galp, Repsol, Cepsa, making Portugal somewhat lesssupportive of economic growth in recent months.

Currencies and commodities:

The dollar was lower versus the euro and the British pound, but up against the Japanese yen.U.S. light crude oil for September delivery rose $2.51 to settle at $81.46 a barrel.COMEX gold's December contract edged up $1.50 to close at $1,185.40 per ounce.